Skipping ropes usually bring to mind school playgrounds or boxers in training, but skipping could be poised to be the next Big Thing. Carolyn Barker has been a passionate skipper (ropes, not boats) since the Heart Foundation’s Jump Rope for Heart began more than 40 years ago.
“I’m a Year Three teacher and I started a skipping team at Cleveland Primary School – inspired by a retired 70-year-old wrestler I saw in a television show,” she says. “The real breakthrough was when we were invited to compete in a competition in Canada – only six weeks to prepare but a small group of Grade Seven girls from the team trained day and night, went to the competition – and won. They beat 10 other teams from all around the world.”
After a couple of years, Carolyn had to move out of the school – there wasn’t a suitable hall at the time and now, 26 years later, Air Magic is based at the Cleveland Showgrounds. There is only one other skipping team in the Redlands, at Mt Cotton, but Carolyn expects the sport to grow.
“The kids from Cleveland are back-to-back world champions and one of my skippers, Luke Boon, is the most decorated skipper in the world – he’s won 72 world championship titles. I met him when he was 12 and he’s amazing.”
Carolyn says that there are four different disciplines within the sport and 20 events, all judged by different criteria.
“There’s a timed event when you have to go as fast as you can – sprints and relays. There’s a freestyle component when all of your creativity goes into working acrobatics, rope releases and ‘multiple unders’ into a routine performed to music. It’s like watching a gymnastics routine on the floor.
“The fastest speed skipper in the world is from China – he can do 234 steps in 30 seconds. Internationally, skipping is huge; it’s about a step away from going Olympic.”
The equipment is basic but vital, good sports shoes are a must for competitors; the speed ropes are made with wire and the ropes for the tricks are made of white plastic.
Carolyn is taking her team to the eight-day biennial world competition, to be held in Japan in late July. They’ll be competing with about 30 other countries but – with good reason – Carolyn is supremely confident of her team’s chances! She will also be competing in the masters age group with her primary school friends from Victoria Point State School, so watch this space – there could be trophies coming home to the Redlands!
Find out more about Air Magic at www.clevelandairmagic.org.
